Negotiating University Culture and Conditions: Secondary Organizational Socialization in Physical Education Teacher Education Across International Contexts

Seung Soo Baek

College: College of Education

Department: Elementary and PE/Health Educ

Abstract:

This study investigates how secondary organizational socialization shapes the ways mid-career faculty members deliver physical education teacher education (PETE) across diverse international contexts. Grounded in occupational socialization theory, the research examines both the forms of PETE enacted by faculty and the cultural and structural factors that support or constrain their work. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and supplementary artifacts from six associate professors working in universities in North America, Europe, and Asia, and were analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison to identify recurring themes.Findings indicate that faculty members’ PETE practices reflected combinations of critical-inquiry, traditional/craft, personalistic, and behavioristic orientations, with critical inquiry most prominent. This emphasis centered on preparing reflective and socially responsive teachers capable of promoting inclusion, equity, and democratic participation through physical education. At the same time, institutional culture and material conditions—including administrative support, resource availability, workload, and access to high-quality school placements—significantly influenced faculty members’ ability to enact their preferred approaches. All participants reported unfavorable working conditions, and several described negative or neutral institutional cultures that limited programmatic autonomy and resources. Faculty primarily coped through strategies of strategic redefinition or strategic compliance rather than leaving their positions.Overall, the study extends current scholarship on secondary organizational socialization by highlighting cross-continental similarities in constraints on PETE and the adaptive strategies faculty employ to sustain program quality. The findings underscore the importance of supportive institutional cultures, adequate resources, and strong school partnerships in enabling transformative PETE and offer guidance for early-career faculty navigating organizational realities. In doing so, the research contributes to ongoing international conversations about improving teacher education in physical education and strengthening the professional conditions under which faculty work. By situating faculty experiences within broader organizational and cultural contexts, the study also emphasizes the need for systemic change that aligns institutional expectations with educational values centered on equity, reflection, and meaningful learning. Such alignment is critical for sustaining high-quality PETE and for preparing teachers who can respond effectively to diverse social and educational challenges. Future research should continue examining comparative contexts and longitudinal faculty experiences to further inform policy, practice, and program development in.